What serial # did escutcheons start on db roadster?

[1916roadster]

Help please. Starting to work on my seventeen roadster again. I do not have doors and was going to modify a pair from a touring car. The doors have what I'll call escutsions on skins (see photo). I have a set of what I'll call caps for what I believe are from a 1916 (see photo) without Escutcheons. What serial # did Db roadsters change the door skins and start putting the the hole in top? My cars serial # is 157,755. Thanks, John

[Machinist_Bill]

I have been waiting for the experts to show up but it looks like you're stuck with me. I have a 5th edition parts book that shows your part as #2571 & #2572. Wish I could be more helpful.

[1916roadster]

Thanks for the reply Bill. If I read this correctly. Roadsters used the front door garnish rail without curtain rod hole until serial # 393349 or before Sept 1919. So my doors should have a garnish rail and no curtain rod hole. 

[dwollam]

DB Roadsters did not get the new 1 piece doors until they went to the "square bottom" doors in 1924. DB Touring cars got the new 1 piece doors in 1920. Still "round bottom" but no separate top plate and the hinges were stamped instead of forged.  DB Screensides also kept the old doors until 1924. All late '22 and '23 DB open cars got outside door handles. 15-23 Roadster doors are 2" longer than Touring doors and have a lot more compound curve in them. If you do try to make some from Touring doors, make sure they are 1919 or earlier doors with the forged hinges. The door in your picture is a 1920-22 Touring door. I have some Roadster doors if you want them bad enough. I get $250-350 each as they are very hard to find. I bought 5 DB's out of Canada 1 time to get a pair! Touring doors I get $100-150 each.

 

Dave

[1916roadster]

Thanks for the info Dave. I was trying to fit the 20 to 22 door pictured but am having a lot of trouble with hinges. My 17 came with these touring doors but not on it. would you have a picture of a roadster door and hinges? I may have to take you up on those dooors if I can't find or modify mine. I would love to chat 607 3293669.  Or. email jdlugos@icloud.com

thanks,  John

[dwollam]

I will get some pics of roadster doors. Will be a few days. Here are pics of 1919 and earlier touring doors. Not sure if these are ones I still have or are some I had sold. Just an example.

Edited November 17, 2016 by dwollam (see edit history)

[1916roadster]

Thanks for the pics Dave. I can see the hinges are quite different than the 19 or 23/24? Any chance of getting a tracing or dimensions on those hinges? I going to look at some doors today but I don't think they are correct

[dwollam]

Like I said, 1919 and earlier doors are forged hinges, 1920 and later are stamped steel. Hinges are NOT in the same exact location either. ALL 1914-1919 hinges are the same so any of those doors will fit the cowl but the compound curves are different between roadster and touring and of course, roadster doors are about 2" longer.

Also when looking at doors, all DB doors are structurally steel, none are wood framed. However the 1914-1919 touring and 1915-1923 Roadster doors do have a piece of wood in the top of the door for the sill to mount to. 1924 -1927 are all steel square bottom doors and all have the stamped steel hinges. 24-27 Touring and Roadster doors are identical and I believe so are the Screenside doors.

[1916roadster]

Thanks Dave. Doors I looked at locally were not correct.